Excavating machine



Nov. 19, 1929. R. B. MUFFETT 1,736,661

- EXCAVATING momma Filed March 14, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR.

R. 5. ITIUFFETT A TTORNEYS.

Nov. 19, 1929. I R. B. MUFFETT 1,736,661

EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed March 14, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. INVENTOR.

R. E. ITIUFFETT flbflm ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 19, 1929. R. B. MUFFETT 1,13 ,661

EXCAVATING' MACHINE Filed March 14, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

R.B. I'ITUFF'ETT A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 19 1922 PATENT OFFICE ROBERT B. MUFFE'IT, 0F RIDGEFIELD,WASHINGTON EXCAVATING MACHINE Application filed March 14, 1927. SerialNo. 175,196.

This invention relates to excavating machines and an object of theinvention is to provide a machine by means of which soil may be cut froma bank and leave an almost perpendicular wall to the bank.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an excavating machine asspecified, which will cut the soil from the bank and deliver it to asuitable car from which the soil may be emptied into a wagon or anysuitable conveyor and further to provide in an excavating structure, amovable upper carriage which carries a pivoted excavating arm and whichis movable longitudinally over a supporting structure to permit rearwardmovement of the car as the excavator proper travels downwardly over theface of the bank being out.

Another object of the invention is to provide an excavating machine asspecified, in which the soil receiving car is connected directly withthe excavator carrying movable car for movement in unison therewith soas to ensure the proper delivery of the soil to the car.

Uther objects of the invention will appear in the following detaildescription, and in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure Iis a side elevation of the improved excavating machine.

Figure IIis a top plan of the improved excavating machine, partly brokenaway to show the mechanism thereof.

Figure IIIis a front end view of the excavating machine supportingframe.

Figure IVis a rear end View similar to Figure III.

Figure Vis a detail section through the excavating rotor, and

Figure VIis an enlarged detail view of the excavator head.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved excavatingmachine comprises a carrier structure 5 which has flange supportingwheels 6 carried thereby, one at each corner, and the said wheels rideupon rails 7 to permit lateral movement of the excavating machine alonga bank of S011 being excavated.

The carrier 5 has L-shaped rail supports 8 along its upper end whichsupport rails 9 over which the movable excavating car 11 is movable! Thecar 11 is movable along the rails 9 longitudinally of the carrier 5 andit has a beam 12 pivotally connected thereto, as shown at 13. The rotaryexcavating head 14 is rotatably carried by the outer end of the beam 12and comprises a plurality of spaced discs 16 which have extendingarcuate flanges 17 formed thereon. The flanges 17 are provided with bitreceiving openings 18 through which the shanks 19 of the picks or bits21 extend. Suitable set-screws 22 are threaded through the flanges 17and clamp the bits 2 tightly in position. It is to be understood thatthe bits 21 are disposed in opposed relation and that the various discs16 are arranged to position the cutting edges 23 of the bits 21 atcircumferentially spaced points so as to provide a continuous cuttingaction 011 the soil.

The soil cut from the bank by the rotary excavating head 14 is deliveredto a suitable platform 24 which is supported beneath the beam structure12 in any suitable manner. An endless chain conveyor 26 travels over theplatform or trough 24 and consists of a single length of chain having aplurality of transverse flights 2 7 thereon which engage the soil andcarry it downwardly and depositit ina suitable receiving car 28.

A cable 29 is connected to the beam 12 adjacent the upper end whichpasses over suitable guide pulleys 31 on the superstructure of the car11, and is connected to a drum 32. The drum 32 is rotatable upon a shaft35 that has a gear 34 secured thereto and the gear 34 is capable ofbeing secured to the drum 32 for rotating the latter by any suitableclutch mechanism. The gear 34 is adapted to mesh with a pinion 36 whichis keyed upon a shaft 37 slidably carded-by suitable supports 38 and theshaft 37 is movable longitudinally to shift the pinion 36 either into orout of meshing engagement with the gear 34 and a gear 56 for a purposewhich will be later apparent. A hand lever 39 is mounted on the shaft 37to permit manua1 rotation of the shaft for varying the elevation of theexcavating head 14 and of the beam 12 and for the purpose of moving thecar 11 in a manner which will be presently described. A second cable l1is connected to the beam 12 and passes over suitable guide pulleys 4:2and has a counter-balancing weight 43 thereon to facilitate theadjustment of the elevation of the beam 12, by counter-balancing theweight.

A prime mover 44, preferably an internal combustion engine, is carriedby the car 11 and is connected by a suitable power trans mitting belt 16to a shaft 17 on which a sprocket 48 is mounted. A sprocket chain 49travels over the sprocket 4.8 and over a sprocket 51 connected to theshaft 52 upon which the rotary excavating head 14 is mounted so as topermit rotation of the excavating head. A second shaft 53 is connectedby means of gears 54 to the shaft 47, and the shaft 53 is in turnconnected to the chain 26 for moving the conveyor flights in theproper'direction to carry the excavated soil downwardly.

The shaft 35 has drums 61 mounted on the ends thereof, and it will beunderstood that the drums 32 and 61 are held against longitudinalmovement on the shaft 35 by suitable collars. The drums 61 are keyed tothe shaft 35 which also has a gear 56 secured thereto and adapted tomesh with the pinion 36 to rotate the drums 61, the shaft 37 beingshifted for this purpose from its position as shown in Figure 2. One ofthe gears 31- and 56 may be provided with suitable ratchet mechanism toprevent rotation of the shaft 35 when necessary in the operation of themachine. The cables 58 and 59 are wrapped about the winding drums 61 andhave their ends connected at the opposite ends of the frame of thecarrier 5, and also pass about suitable guiding pulleys 62 as clearlyshown in Figure 1 of the drawings, so that by rotation of the drums 61,the carriage or car 11 may be moved longitudinall over therails 9 as maybe desired, and pre erably for moving the excavating head 14 intoengagement with a bank to be out, and to hold the car accordingly, asthe. pressure of the excavating head against the bank will have atendency to move the car 11 rearwardly or away from the bank. Car 28 isI connected in any suitable manner to the car 11, so that it willmove-longitudinally of the carrier 5 in unison with movement of the car11, whereby the car 28 will be positioned at all times, to receive thesoil excavated. The standard 62, at the front ends ofthe carrier 5project above the rail supports 8, and form abutments for limiting theforward movement ofthe car 11. The upwardly projecting ends 63 of thestandard 62. are braced by transverse braces 64: and by downwardlyextending angled braces 66, so as to provide a ,rigid and secureconstruction. The provision of the two independently rotatable drums 32and 56 permits movement of the car 11 without raising or lowering theexcavating head or digger 14, or vice versa.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be apparent that an excavating machine has beenprovided by meansof which a bank may be cut down in an almostperpendicular manner, and that the soil may be at all times, properlydelivered to the recei-vingca-r 28 from which it may be unloaded ordumped into any suitable conveyor, and furthermore, that a practical,easily operated and controlled. excavator or digger has been provided.

, It is, of course, to be understood, that the invention may beconstructed in various other manners and the parts associated indifferent relationsnand therefore, we do not desire to be limited in anymanner, except as setforth in the claim hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention, I claim In an excavating machine, amovable carrier, a car movable along said carrier transversely to thedirection of movement of the carrier, a beam pivotally carried by saidcar, an excavator head rot-atably carried by said beam, a conveyoradapted to receive material from said rotary head, a soil receiving carmovable upon said carrier and adapted to receive material from saidconveyor, means for moving said first mentioned car on said carrier,said means comprising a pair of cables having their opposite endssecured tov said carrierand their center portion wrapped about windingdrums, said cables serving to move said car and further serving to holdsaid car agains'tendwise movement in the manner described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT B. MUFFETT.

